The jurassic franchise stands as a cinematic titan, consistently luring audiences back to the age of dinosaurs with the promise of awe and terror. Yet, following the release of “Jurassic world: Rebirth,” the latest installment, one prominent film critic has reached a stark conclusion: for him, dinosaur movies are now truly extinct. Despite roaring to impressive box office numbers globally, the film left this seasoned reviewer profoundly disappointed, solidifying a sentiment that had been building over recent franchise entries. This personal declaration raises questions about the series’ creative direction versus its undeniable commercial appeal.
The Final Roar: What Broke the Camel’s Back?
Bryan Alexander, writing for USA TODAY, details his experience enduring the 2-hour-14-minute runtime of “Jurassic World: Rebirth.” His disappointment was so complete that as the credits rolled, he vowed this would be his absolute last dinosaur film. This isn’t a fleeting thought; he felt a similar fatigue after the 2-hour-27-minute “Jurassic World Dominion,” even with the nostalgic return of the original Jurassic Park stars. “Rebirth” had briefly reignited his hope, partly due to its promising title and the casting of acclaimed actors like Scarlett Johansson and Mahershala Ali. However, the finished product delivered a series of creative missteps that sealed his decision.
He outlines several specific gripes that made “Rebirth” the breaking point:
Overt Merchandising: The introduction of characters like Dolores, an “overly adorable baby Aquilops,” felt less like a story element and more like a blatant attempt to create a marketable toy, designed to survive the plot unharmed for future appearances.
Tired Tropes: The iconic “admiring dinosaur shot” from the original 1993 film, where characters react with wide-eyed wonder, has become repetitive and uninspired in subsequent movies. This trope, once powerful, now feels like a forced confirmation of coolness, out of step with a modern world where selfies and vlogging would be immediate reactions.
Excessive Product Placement: A floating Snickers wrapper causing a critical plot point (releasing a dangerous dinosaur) was briefly amusing. However, the relentless barrage of product visibility, particularly in a convenience store scene where dinosaurs carefully navigate around strategically placed snacks, felt overwhelming and detracted from the movie’s reality. It’s a commercial “Frito too far.”
Unconvincing Injuries: A character like Reuben Delgado, who limps throughout the film after a heroic moment, needed visible signs of injury—blood, bone, or a bandage. Without it, his struggle felt more like a mild pickleball strain than a serious injury, undermining the on-screen peril.
Undermining Character Sacrifices: While dinosaur death scenes were well-executed, the resurrection of a character like Duncan Kincaid (Mahershala Ali), who seemingly made a heroic sacrifice, felt creatively cheap. Bringing a character back at the studio’s suggestion negated the dramatic weight of his supposed death.
Flawed Special Effects Application: Despite generally impressive CGI, some moments pushed the technology too far into cartoonish territory, like a character gleefully touching a Titanosaurus’s leg. The final scene featuring dolphins also suggested potential budget limitations by the film’s end.
These points collectively led the critic to his personal “franchise extinction-level event,” leaving him preferring documentaries like “Walking With Dinosaurs” or a re-watch of the original classic.
Box Office Success vs. Critical Strain
Interestingly, this strong critical disappointment contrasts sharply with the film’s commercial performance. “Jurassic World: Rebirth,” distributed by Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment, roared to the top of the domestic box office, grossing $147 million over its five-day Fourth of July holiday opening. This figure significantly exceeded early industry projections and mirrored the strong opening of its predecessor, “Jurassic World Dominion.”
Analysts like Paul Dergarabedian of Comscore noted that the strategic title “Rebirth” and the casting of Scarlett Johansson likely played a significant role in revitalizing interest in the nearly 30-year-old brand. He argues the Jurassic brand is far from extinct commercially, proving its continued ability to thrill audiences and top charts. Shawn Robbins of Fandango also highlighted the film’s success as part of a strong summer movie lineup, anticipating significant audience overlap with other major releases, underscoring the market’s capacity for multiple blockbusters.
This creates a fascinating tension: the brand remains a financial juggernaut capable of drawing massive crowds, yet for critics like Bryan Alexander and others, the creative well seems to be running dry.
More Voices: A Chorus of Discontent?
Alexander is not alone in his critical assessment. Other reviewers have echoed similar sentiments about the state of the Jurassic franchise. Jared Rasic at Metro Times, for instance, also feels the series has declined significantly since the first two Spielberg films, calling the Jurassic World trilogy increasingly cartoonish and lacking genuine tension. He found “Rebirth,” despite liking the premise of corporate interest in dinosaurs and the casting, to be a significant disappointment – “not remotely a good movie,” giving it a D-. Rasic criticized returning writer David Koepp’s “lazy script,” Gareth Edwards’ “lifeless direction,” the film’s flat tension, and even the design of new creatures like the “Distortus Rex,” finding it poorly conceived.
Hunter Friesen at EP Local News went further, calling “Rebirth” a “case for the franchise’s extinction.” He argues that over seven films and 32 years, only the original Jurassic Park stands out as “decent.” Friesen found the Jurassic World era reliant on “weaponized nostalgia,” with “Rebirth” shamefully replicating original elements but with diluted impact. He detailed the repetitive plot involving a shady company, ParkerGenix, seeking dinosaur blood for a miracle cure, and criticized the shallow characters played by Johansson, Jonathan Bailey (as paleontologist Dr. Henry Loomis), and Mahershala Ali (as boat captain Duncan Kincaid), noting some seemed present only as future “dinosaur food.” He also found a family subplot distracting and lacking consequence. Despite acknowledging director Gareth Edwards’ talent for spectacle, Friesen felt “Rebirth” lacked any memorable moments of awe or terror, offering only “OK-ish copy-and-paste sequences,” rating it 2 out of 5 stars.
Not all reviews were negative, however. Clarisse Loughrey of The Independent, quoted in an AOL UK piece, offered a contrasting positive view, praising “Rebirth” for successfully returning to the core slasher-like elements that made the original Jurassic Park effective. She saw the film embracing this formula with archetypal characters facing off against ancient predators on an island.
Directorial Vision and Future Prospects
Director Gareth Edwards himself spoke about the challenge of making a Jurassic film, sharing advice he received from Steven Spielberg. Spielberg compared filmmaking to being a chef, but one who must “leave the audience hungry” so they desire to return. Edwards found this counterintuitive advice profound, suggesting that true success lies in creating anticipation rather than complete satisfaction.
Whether “Rebirth” left audiences hungry for more quality or simply hungry for something else is debatable among critics. The reviews suggest a struggle to recapture the magic of the original. Many critics feel the franchise is creatively exhausted.
Ideas for revitalizing the series, as suggested by reviewers like Jared Rasic, often involve breaking the mold:
Move beyond tropical islands to urban or unexpected real-world settings.
Develop compelling, unique characters instead of archetypes.
Reintroduce genuine tension and escalating danger.
Write natural-sounding dialogue instead of exposition.
- Find fresh, scary ways to utilize the classic dinosaurs rather than inventing new, often criticized creatures.
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Alternatively, some argue the series should pause until a filmmaker with a truly original vision emerges.
Frequently Asked Questions
What were the main criticisms of ‘Jurassic World: Rebirth’ highlighted by reviewers?
Key criticisms from multiple reviewers included blatant attempts at merchandising (like the character Dolores), repetitive use of tired franchise tropes (the ‘admiring dinosaur shot’), excessive and distracting product placement, unconvincing portrayal of character injuries, undermining dramatic moments by resurrecting characters, and inconsistent or cartoonish special effects in certain scenes. Reviewers also cited weak scripts, flat tension, uninspired direction, and shallow character development despite recognizable actors.
Does ‘Jurassic World: Rebirth’ indicate a decline for the Jurassic franchise according to critics?
Yes, several critics, including Bryan Alexander, Jared Rasic, and Hunter Friesen, argue that ‘Jurassic World: Rebirth’ continues a trend of creative decline that they believe began after the first or second films in the series. They describe the later entries, particularly the ‘Jurassic World’ trilogy, as increasingly cartoonish, repetitive, and lacking the wonder, tension, and character depth of the original, despite the franchise’s continued box office success.
Should fans of the original ‘Jurassic Park’ watch ‘Jurassic World: Rebirth’?
Reviews offer conflicting perspectives for original fans. Critics who found ‘Rebirth’ disappointing suggest fans seeking the magic and quality of the 1993 film may be better off rewatching the original or exploring documentaries. However, the film’s strong box office performance indicates it appealed to a wide audience, including likely many long-time fans. Some positive reviews noted it successfully returned to the core survival horror formula of the original, which might appeal to those seeking a return to basics.
Ultimately, “Jurassic World: Rebirth” exemplifies the modern blockbuster paradox: a film that achieved significant commercial success, revitalizing the brand for analysts and studios, yet left several prominent critics creatively cold, leading one to personally step away from the genre entirely. The debate over the franchise’s future – endless ‘rebirths’ or a genuine evolution – continues to roar.
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